Garment clasp



Patented lSept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to clasps particularly adapted for use inconjunction with garters or Suspenders for the support of garments.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a garment claspcomposed of a minimum number of component parts, each part being ofparticularly simple formation so that it permits of extremely economicalmanufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a garment clasp in whichthe arrangement and construction of the parts permits their completeassembly entirely by hand without. the aid of any tools or machines.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from aninspection of the drawing and the following description.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawing which form part of theapplication, with the understanding, however, that the improvement iscapable of extended application andY is not confined to the exactshowing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and,therefore., such changes and modifications may be made therein as do notaffect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my suspender clasp in use attached to agarment.

Fig. 2 is a composite perspective view of the component parts of myclasp disassembled from eachother. Y

Fig. 31 is a side elevational view of the clasp in closed position withone endof the loop thereof show-n inI section; and

Fig.. 4is a side elevational view similar to Fig.A 3

, with the clasp in open position.

Referring, now to the drawing for a more detailed description thereofand particularly to Fig. 2, my improved suspender clasp is composed onlyof the four partsl illustrated therein. Ihe letter A designates thefront jaw member of my clasp, of which B designates the rear jaw member.The letter C indicates a loop by which the clasp it attached to asuspender web 5, as shown in Fig. 1. I'he three members A, B and C areall held together when properly assembled to each other by the insertionof a fiat pin D.

A detailed description of each of the parts now follows. The front jawmember A comprises a substantially dat plate 6 from the upper portion ofwhich extend rearwardly vertical parallel side Walls l. The lowerportion of plate 6 is flanged at its periphery for the purpose ofstrengthening the member, the bottom flange 8 extending beyond the sideflanges so as to provide a claw at the lower edge of jaw A. The upperends of the 5 vertical sides 'I are arcuately formed and have at theirapexes a pair of notches 9 of semi-circular shape for the purposehereinafter described. Each side wall 'l is further provided withapertures I@ in alignment with each other and which l0 are each of theform of a reversed L. The front surface is arcuately formed to terminatein a line with the forward edge of notches 9. From the upper portion ofthe plate 6 are extruded a pair of vertical ribs II, the interior recessthus l5 formed providing clearance for the member B when assembled.

The rear jaw member B comprises a plate I2, the lower portion of whichis flanged, the bottom flange I3 thereof extending beyond the side 20anges I'lI to form a claw which, in cooperation with the claw 8 of thefront jaw grasps the garment. From the upper portion of plate I2 a pairof vertical parallel side walls I5 are integrally formed and of suchspacing as to permit their 25 insertion between the side walls I of thefront jaw A. The upper ends of side walls I5 are arcuately formed andare provided at their apexes with a pair of aligned trunnions I6 adaptedto engage in the notches 9 of the front jaw A. 30l Trunnions i6 are ofsemi-circular cross-section to function as a pivot for the members A andB. 'I'he plate l2 extends upwardly and around in conformation to thecurvature of the side walls I5 and terminates in alignment with thetrunnions 3'5 I6. Side walls I5 are further provided withValignedapertures I1, the shape of which resembles substantially aninverted L.. the vertical leg of which is disposed forwardly of themember B. l0

The loop C comprises ay longitudinal flat member 20,4 each end of whichis formed in a return bend 2| fromV which depend in Vertical parallelismwith each other a pair of ears 22. The ears 22 are each provided withoblong apertures 45 23 in alignment with each other and adapted to holdsnugly the at pin designated by letter D. The pin D is provided at oneend with an enlarged head 24. The ears 22 of the loop C are spaced fromeach other suciently to permit their place- 50 ment outside the sidewalls I of the front jaw A, as shown in Fig. l.

In the assembly of my clasp, members A and B are placed together so thatthe trunnions I6 of member B engage in the notches 9 of member 55 A. Thelower ends of members A and B are then brought together, as shown inFig. 3, after which the loop C is put in place with its ears 22 at thesides 1 of member A and with the apertures 23- thereof in alignment withthe free area of the combined apertures I0 and I1. This co-relation ofthe apertures is shown in Fig. 3. The pin D is then inserted thru theapertures in members A, B and C, thus effecting the complete assembly ofmy garment clasp without the use of any tools or other equipment, inthat the pin D ts snugly into the apertures 23 to prevent accidentalremoval of same.

Before taking up the operation of my clasp, that is, the opening andclosing of same, it is well to note that the loop C in conjunction withthe pin D functions as a bell crank to effect the separation of the jaw.A careful inspection of Figs. 3 and 4 will suffice to illustrate thisfunction. In the opening of my clasp the loop C is swung from itsvertical position, Fig. 3, to a substantia1- ly horizontal position,Fig. 4, during which movement the pin D moves from a horizontalposition, Fig. 3, to a substantially vertical position, Fig. 4. Acareful examination of the co-relation and shape of the apertures I0 andI1 will facilitate the clear understanding of the action of pin D duringthis movement. It is to be noted that the vertical legs of apertures li)extend upwardly, thus providing shoulders l0a on the interior ofapertures I0. It is also to be noted that the vertical legs of aperturesl1 extend downwardly, thus providing shoulders lla, on the interior ofthe apertures, which shoulders are disposed op positely to the shouldersIlla. During the opening of the jaws of the clasp and specifically asthe pin D is rotated, diagonally opposite portions of the longitudinalfaces of pin D become engaged with the shoulders I0a. and Ila, and asthe rotation of pin D is effected, the corresponding movement ofshoulders Ia and Ila in opposite directions is effected and therebycauses the angular separation of members A and B. It is worthy to notethat during this separation the trunnions i6, in engagement with notches9, function as a pivot to hold the upper ends of members A and Btogether.

To effect the closing of the clasp so as to securely grasp a garment,the loop C is swung from the position in Fig. 4 upwardly to the positionshown in Fig. 3. The pin D is thus rotated in the apertures I0 and Il sothat the edges of pin D engage with the forward Vertical edge ofapertures Il and the rear vertical edge of apertures ID, thus causingmembers A and B to move toward each other to the position shown in Fig.3. In that the edges of pin D t snugly between the outer vertical edgesof apertures I0 and l1, the accidental rotation of loop C is prevented.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. A clasp comprising a pair of cooperating jaws pivotally connectedtogether, each of said jaws comprising side walls, the side walls of oneof said jaws having apertures of reversed L formation and the side wallsof the other of said jaws having apertures of inverted L formation, aturnable key passing thru said apertures and adapted to open, close andlock said jaws, said apertures comprising horizontal and verticalportions, the horizontal portions of the apertures of one jaw being inregistration with, and the vertical portions of the same being out ofregistration with, the corresponding portions of the apertures in theother jaw when the jaws are closed, said side Walls, due to thementioned.

shape of said apertures, presenting diagonally opposed shoulders at theturns of said apertures, said key lying in the registering portions ofsaid apertures when said jaws are closed and engaging said shoulders toopen the jaws, and engaging sides of the vertical portions of theapertures to close the jaws.

2. A clasp comprising a pair of cooperating jaws pivotally connectedtogether, each of said jaws comprising side walls, the side walls of oneof said jaws having apertures I0 of reversed L formation and the sidewalls of the other of said jaws having apertures Il of inverted Lformation, a turnable key D passing thru said apertures and adapted toopen, close and lock said jaws, said apertures comprising horizontal andvertical portions, the horizontal portions of the apertures of one jawbeing in registration with, and the vertical portions of the same beingout of registration with, the corresponding portions of the apertures inthe other jaw when the jaws are closed, said side walls, due to thementioned shape of said apertures, presenting diagonally'. opposedshoulders at the turns of said apertures, said key lying in theregistering portions of said apertures when said jaws are closed andengaging said shoulders to open the jaws, and engaging sides of theVertical portions of the apertures to close the jaws.

3. A clasp comprising a pair of cooperating jaws pivotally connectedtogether, each of said jaws comprising side walls, the side walls of oneof said jaws having apertures of reversed L formation and the side wallsof the other of said jaws having apertures of inverted L formation, aturnable key passing thru said apertures and adapted to open, close andlock said jaws and a loop held to said jaws by said key and adapted byturning to turn said key, said apertures comprising horizontal andvertical portions, the horizontal portions of the apertures of one jawbeing in registration with, and the vertical portions of the saine beingout of registration with, the corresponding portions of the apertures inthe other jaw when the jaws are closed, said side walls, due to thementioned shape of said apertures, presenting diagonally opposedshoulders at the turns of said apertures, said key lying in theregistering portions of said apertures when said jaws are closed andengaging said shoulders to open the jaws, and engaging sides of thevertical portions of the apertures to close the jaws.

JOSEPH PALLAS.

